Re: [Paddlewise] Wilderness: Isolation or Adventure?

For those of you who are more than mildly interested in the effects of long periods
of isolation in nature, look into the many first-hand accounts of the dozen or so
single-handed sailors who took part in the _Sunday Times_ sponsored Golden Globe
race around the world, circa 1970(?).  The idea was to leave Plymouth, England and
round the the three capes of Good Hope, Leeuwin, and the Horn, without putting in
anywhere; the first back to receive a golden globe, and the fastest to receive
5,000 pounds sterling.  It was such a disaster that this race was never attempted
again, to my knowledge.

Bernard Moitessier could have pulled it off, but after rounding the Horn he was
terrified  to go back to the world of men, so sailed another half way around the
world finally putting in at Tahiti out of necessity.  Another (whose name I don't
recall) slowly went mad and apparently just stepped off the rear of his trimaram;
his boat was found with his very weird logs undecipherable (thought he was God or
something).  Loick Fougeron committed suicide within months of his return.  Bill
King never sailed again.  The winner, Robin Knox-Johnston, was examined by a
psychiatrist after his return and was pronounced "distressingly normal".  Go
figure.

Most of them didn't have radio, and those that did found them unreliable, so
most/all were out of contact of society for many months.  Moitessier's account is
probably the most poetic, but at the end of his book _The Long Way_ he gets very
weird and is writing letters to the Pope.  All accounts are very interesting
reading and bizarre, even Knox-Johnstons, probably the only one in the race who
came through it sane.

I could probably work up a reading list if anyone is interested?

-Nick






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